Loose leaf binder



Dec. 25, 1934. H. l.. cowDEN LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed May 2l, 1934 l' l 1 fr 1v 1111111111 ATTORNEY INVENTOR Ha rg L. Cawe n EH56/jara. 07W

partly broken away;

Patented Dec. Z5, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l LOOSE LEAF BINDER K Harry L. Cowden, Guthrie Center, Iowa Application May 21, 1934, Serial No. 726,633 7 claims. (o1. 12e-41) My invention relates to loose leaf binders and my object is to provide certain improvements in loose leaf binders of the flexible type.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of the device, Fig. 2, a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, cable 3 being omitted; Fig. 3, an enlarged cross sectional View on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1 showing the U-bar in normal locking position; Fig. 4, a cross sectional view-'showing the U-bar lifted out of engagement with the terminal bar 6; Fig. 5, an enlarged plan view of the supplementary lock, partly in section; Fig-6, a fragmentary sectional view showing the'plunger 18 in locking position under a fragment ofthe thumb piece 14; Fig. 7, afragmentary elevation showing the U-bar land flanges in' locking position.

It is to bev understood that cover 1a contains a similar mechanism to the mechanism-shown in cover l.

Although I show the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not thereby limit myself to the precise form shown but Wish it understood that within the scope of what hereafter is claimed, various changes in the details may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

This device comprises a pair of covers 1-1a; clamping jaws 2 2; cables 3-3-3 running through said clamping jaws and into said covers; terminal bars to which said cables are connected; a main locking means; a supplementary locking means; and an automatically adjusting back cover.

The clamping jaws 2--2 are hinged to covers l-la by hinges 7-7 and are provided with rubber tips 4. The cables 3--3-3-3 are connected to a terminal bar 6 as shown in Fig. 1, and eX- tend through clamping jaws 2-2 and connected to a similar terminal bar in cover 1a. Terminal bar 6 is provided with a pair of upturned flanges 9-9 and is slidably disposed in cover 1.

The main locking means comprise a U-bar 10 provided with a series of teeth 11 and journalled under plates 12-12. U-bar 10 is provided with an arm 13 to which a thumb piece 14 is secured, and a spring l5 is disposed under arm 13.

The supplementary locking means comprise a housing 16 having an aperture 16a and a flanged cover plate portion 17, mounted in cover 1 adjacent to thumb piece 14; a plunger 18 provided with a notch and slidably disposed in housing 16; a pawl 19 provided with lug 20 and disposed in the notch in plunger 18; a flat leaf spring 2l mounted adjacent to pawl 19; a spring 22 disposed adjacent to one end of plunger 18; and a screw S screwed through said housing and portion 17 into said'plunger.

The lautomaticallyadjusting back cover comprises a flexible sheet 23 extending into covers lla and connected to springs 24 which are 5 connected to terminal bars I6. ALeavesL, lwhich are slotted in the usual manner, are aligned on the cables 3-'3-43-43; vWhen it Visdesired to remove or insert leaves, the thumb piece f 14 is pressed downiso as tolift teeth 11 `free of flanges 99 as shown in Fig. 4; covers 1--1a pulled away from each other.;- the desired-leavesv removed or inserted; covers l-J-la, pushed toward each other so as to press clamping jaws 2'-2 against the bunch ofleaves L; and teeth 1l of U-bar 10, allowed to engage flanges 9-9 as shown in Figs. 3 and 7. rfheflexible cables are disposed in grooves and are 'stili enough to push the terminal bars 6 withinv the covers 11a.. Thevsprings 24 automaticallytake up the slack in flexible back cover sheet 23 and cause said sheet to fit snugly against the clamping jaws 2-2 when the covers l-la are in the open or shut position.

The screw S normally holds plunger 18 in the position shown in Fig. 6, but when it is desired to lock arm 13 rigid, screw S is removed and spring 22 forces plunger 18 forward and under thumb piece 14. When plunger 18 reaches the limit of its travel, lug 20 on pawl 19, is forced into aperture 16a by the action of spring 21, thereby locking plunger 18 under thumb piece 14. When lever arm 13 is thus locked it cannot be pressed down until housing 16 is removed from the cover, since aperture 16a is out of sight and cannot be reached without removal of the housing 16. A similar supplementary locking device is mounted in cover la.

I claim:

l. Aloose leaf binder comprising a pair of covers, a clamping jaw hinged to each cover; cables running through said clamping jaws and into each cover; a terminal bar slidably disposed in each cover and connected to said cables, each terminal bar being provided with upturned flanges;

a U-bar, provided with a lever arm and a series 45 of teeth, journalled in each cover, said teeth being adapted to engage the flanges of the adjacent terminal bar.

2. A loose leaf binder comprising a pair of covers, a clamping jaw hinged to each cover; cables running through said clamping jaws and into each cover; a terminal bar slidably disposed in each cover and connected to said cables, each terminal bar being provided with upturned flanges; a U-bar, provided with a lever arm and a series of teeth, journalled in each cover, said teeth being adapted to engage the flanges of the adjacent terminal bar; a spring disposed under the lever arm of said U-bar.

3. A loose leaf binder comprising a pair of covers, a clamping jaw hinged to each cover; cables running through said clamping jaws and into each cover; a terminal bar slidably disposed in each cover and connected to said cables, each terminal bar being provided with upturned flanges; a U-bar, provided with a lever arm and al series of teeth, journalled in each cover, said teeth being adapted to engage the flanges of the adjacent terminal bar; a spring disposed under the lever arm of said U-bar; a locking means disposed adjacent to the lever arm of said U-bar so as to cooperate with said lever 4arm to lock said teeth in engagement with said flanges.

4. A loose leaf binder comprising a pair of covers; a clamping jaw hinged to each cover; cables running through said clamping jaws and into each cover; a terminal bar slidably disposed in each cover and connected to said cables, each terminal bar being provided with upturned flanges; a U-bar, provided with a lever arm and a series of teeth, journalled in each cover, said teeth being adapted to engage the flanges of the adjacent terminal bar; a spring disposed under the lever arm of said U-bar; a locking means disposed adjacent to the lever arm of said U- bar so as to cooperate with said leverv arm to lock said teeth in engagement with said flanges; means to hold said locking means out of cooperation with said lever arm.

5. A loose leaf binder comprising a pair of covers; a clamping jaw hinged to each cover; cables running through said clamping jaws and into each cover; a. terminal bar slidably disposed in each cover and connected to said cables, each terminal bar being provided with upturned flanges; a U-bar, provided with a lever arm and a series of teeth, journalled in each cover, said teeth being adapted to engage the flanges of the adjacent terminal bar; a locking means disposed adjacent to the lever arm of said U-bar so as to cooperate with said lever arm to lock said teeth in engagement with said flanges.

6. A loose leaf binder comprising a pair of covers, a clamping jaw hinged to each cover; cables running through said clamping jaws and into each cover; a terminal bar slidably disposed in each cover and connected to said cables, each terminal bar being provided with upturned flanges; a U-bar, provided with a lever arm and a series of teeth, journalled in each cover, said teeth being adapted to engage the flanges of the adjacent terminal bar; a locking means disposed adjacent to the lever arm of said U-bar so as tocooperate with said lever arm to lock said teeth in engagement with said flanges; means to hold said locking means out ofcooperation with said lever arm.

7. A loose leaf binder comprising a pair of covers; a clamping jaw hinged to each cover; cables running through said clamping jaws and into said covers; a terminal bar slidably disposed in each cover and connected to said cables; flanges on each terminal bar; a U-bar, provided with a leverv arm and a series of teeth, journalled in each cover, said teeth being adaptedto cooperate with said flanges of the adjacent terminal bar; a housing provided withan aperture and mounted in each cover adjacent to said lever arm; a spring actuatedplunger, provided with a notch, slidably disposed in said housing; a spring actuated pawl disposed in said notch and adapted to cooperate with said aperture to hold said plunger from backward movement when said plunger is under said lever arm.

HARRY L. COWDEN. 

